Aestra was engaged by the ACT Transport Canberra and City Services Directorate (TCCS) to manage an independent expert panel of Australian and international experts in animal management, veterinary science and animal welfare law to respond to the ACT Government’s request for an independent review of dog management practice in the ACT.

The ACT Government’s Animal Welfare and Management Strategy 2017–2022 envisions the ACT as an Australian leader in animal welfare and management practice. This means animals in the ACT are effectively managed and appropriately cared for in a manner consistent with the expectations of the ACT community. To achieve this vision, the Strategy commits to a range of legislative and administrative measures to improve the lives of dogs and the people who care for them while maintaining the amenity of public spaces and keeping the community safe.

To support this vision, the ACT Government progressed a suite of legislative reforms and committed to an independent review into the administration of the ACT’s Domestic Animals Act 2000 and the associated regulatory environment.

The independent review culminated in the preparation of the panel’s report, Independent Review into Dog Management in the ACT, which was tabled in the ACT Legislative Assembly. The independent review was used to underpin successful reform to the ACT’s Domestic Animals Act 2000 and the Animal Welfare Act 2000.

Photo credit: Oscar Sutton, 2018.